【澳大利亚人报】China open to Pyongyang sanctions

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China open to Pyongyang sanctions
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25538140-25837,00.html

Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor May 26, 2009               

CHINA last night said it was "resolutely opposed" to the nuclear test conducted by North Korea, indicating it would not veto a tough UN Security Council condemnation of its communist neighbour and ally.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Pyongyang carried out yesterday's test in defiance of the international community and its own commitments to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.

"China strongly demands that North Korea keeps its promise of denuclearisation and ceases all actions that could further worsen the situation," the ministry said in a statement released in Beijing.

The official newsagency, Xinhua, published a report headlined "World concerned about DPRK's nuclear test" and the China Daily published a map of the Phunggye-ri nuclear test site and other nuclear facilities.

Beijing has been leading the six-party talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program to stabilise the Korean peninsula.

But now these intense diplomatic efforts have failed, Beijing will come under pressure to participate in sanctions against North Korea, despite this being the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two communist neighbours.

US President Barack Obama led condemnation of the nuclear test, calling for a global response to what he said was a "threat to international peace".

Russia, current chair of the UN Security Council, convened an emergency meeting of the 15-member body early today to discuss the issue, while Japan and South Korea formed crisis management teams.

The European Union, Britain and France added their voices to the chorus of international concern. But China is North Korea's only ally, and the source of 80 per cent of the country's consumer goods and almost all its oil. Without its backing, efforts to bring Pyongyang into line would fail.

Beijing is deeply frustrated with the opportunism of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in reverting to a full-on nuclear weapons program, as China is fully engaged in handling the massive challenges thrown up by the global economic crisis. The isolated "Hermit Kingdom" is effectively quarantined from such international issues.

China has sought to persuade North Korea, largely without effect, to introduce similar economic reforms to those that it has adopted over the past 30 years since Deng Xiaoping launched the open-door era.

Leading Chinese security analyst Zhu Feng, of Beijing University, said during a recent visit to Australia that China was very closely aligned with the US on North Korea policy at present.

"North Korea will remain a trouble-maker for China's core interests as long as nuclear weapons remain in the hands of the Dear Leader (Mr Kim) ... that family will always play its traditional tricks; it's always inflexible. And the domestic situation there is getting worse."

The US, Japan, Russia and South Korea -- along with China -- have been involved in six-party talks with North Korea since 2003, which are aimed at putting an end to its nuclear programs.

The forum reached a landmark deal in 2007, under which Pyongyang was to receive energy aid and security guarantees in exchange for disarming.

But the North withdrew from the negotiations last month after firing a long-range rocket in what it called a satellite launch. Many nations saw a disguised ballistic missile test and the Security Council condemned the launch and tightened sanctions.

Additional reporting: AFP

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